JUST BECAUSE YOU FIT IN DOESN'T MEAN YOU BELONG THERE
In Ernest Hemingway's renowned novel, "For Whom the Bell Tolls", war is surprisingly not associated with loss and destruction, but is rather depicted as a tremendously complex concept which, along with conflict, love and comradeship, engenders a substantial change in the characters' perspectives on life and warfare. The author adroitly emphasizes the characters' personal development and the conspicuous changes that they undergo in a rather short period of time when faced with the onerous challenge of balancing unity and authority in order to accomplish their mission.
On the one hand, the illustrious novel focuses on the perplexity and adversity of making decisions in times of crisis and depicts the reality of warfare through the lens of protagonist Robert Jordan. The young American relinquishes his job as a professor and joins the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War, revealing his idealism about the Republican cause and confidence that he is joining the good side.
However, Robert Jordan's internal conflict is kindled by the disillusionment with the causes he fights for, engendered by his ever augmenting conviction that there is no 'good' or 'bad' side and his acknowledgement of the obliteration of the characters' prior innocence. They find themselves cogitating the value of human life several times throughout the book, as they struggle to balance duty and the guilt of not only killing, but also enjoying it, which makes the morality of war even more controversial. The measures they resort to in order to accomplish their mission emphasize another side of the human nature, a 'darker' one that we seldom encounter: the horrible thing that human beings are capable of when compelled by extreme circumstances.
On the other hand, the author gracefully displays the power of true love and comradeship by presenting it in contrast to the horrendous reality of warfare. Irrespective of Robert Jordan's initial conviction that love and war are not intertwined and their coexistence is hampered by the challenges of war, he becomes blinded by his deep affection for Maria, however, without forsaking the importance of his mission. Ultimately, the meaning of life and reasons to fight for his cause despite his disillusionment with the Republican cause that are bestowed on Jordan by his romantic, idealistic love for Maria bring about a sense of tranquility as they engender the commencement of the true comprehension of life and human nature.
Moreover, the aftermath of warfare is blatantly emphasized at the end of the novel, when, as Robert Jordan is facing death, his internal conflicts and tensions are finally resolved. Having formed strong relationships with the guerrilleros and having encountered true romantic love, he finally accepts himself as he is and feels truly connected to the land and its people.
All in all, the novel not only presents the eventful short period of Robert Jordan's life, but also depicts the aftermath of warfare in general: the change of perspectives, beliefs and the obliteration of innocence.